Grants awarded for park, pool rehabilitation in northern Schuylkill communities
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SENTINEL FILE PHOTO - Shenandoah's Girard Park on April 10, 2017.
By Kaylee Lindenmuth
SHENANDOAH – Announced by the Governor’s Office Tuesday was an investment of $44 million for 266 projects across the commonwealth, designed to “create new recreational opportunities, conserve natural resources, and help revitalize local communities,” according to a press release.
“Communities go from good to great when they provide residents and visitors with parks and trails, access to waterways, and opportunities for healthy outdoor activity,” Governor Wolf said in a press release. “This $44 million in grants will support communities throughout Pennsylvania working to protect and improve natural amenities for our citizens.”
Among the recipients of the grants, which are administered by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Community Conservation Partnerships Program, was the borough of Shenandoah, which will receive $80,000 for the rehabilitation of Girard Park.
At a special meeting of Borough Council in April, Daniel Cook, project engineer for Alfred Benesch & Co., presented a three-phase plan for improvements to the park at Shenandoah’s north-end, prior to submission for the grant application. At that time, the proposed improvements included replacing the current basketball court and tennis court with two new basketball courts, adding a paved parking lot and pathway to the park, and installing new playground equipment, according to Sentinel archives. Those plans remain unchanged, according to DCNR.
Three other northern Schuylkill communities were awarded grants as well.
Mahanoy City was awarded a $40,000 grant for the rehabilitation of the borough’s East End Park.
In April, Cook presented a plan for the rehabilitation of the park at the borough’s council meeting on April 11, according to Sentinel archives.
According to DCNR, the project will include the renovation of basketball court; ADA access, landscaping, project sign and other related site improvements.
The largest DCNR grant recipient in northern Schuylkill is the borough of Frackville, for the rehabilitation of the Frackville Community Pool.
The pool project will receive $742,000 from DCNR, which will supplement a $200,000 grant the project received a month ago.
Work will include reconstruction of the main pool including zero- depth entry, pool decking, and bathhouse/concession stand building; installation of filtration and recirculation systems and utilities, water features, pool heater and pavers; ADA access, project sign and other related site improvements.
Mahanoy Township also received a $40,000 grant for the rehabilitation of Morea Park, in the village of Morea.
The grant will be used to install play equipment with required safety surfacing; improve ADA access, landscape, and other related site improvements.
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